Darkness Climb
by NatalieGrant
Summary: A 16 year old girl just got out of the mental hospital, a place she didn't deserve to be, and she's anxious to prove everyone wrong, but what will happen when she discovers new powers, and seeks out her unknown dad. THIS IS MY OWN STORY I MADE UP MYSELF.
1. Chapter 1

Four months ago, Alexis Black was sent away for hallucinations and self inflicted injuries. Now it's the middle of September and she's back, anxious to prove what really happend that night to everyone. With the help of her new friends Justin and Zach, she might just sucseed. But what started out as an innocent girl trying to prove a point turns into unspeakable supernatrual powers, a quest to seek out the father she never knew, and a chance to save a life while ending another. 


	2. Chapter 2

Prologue:

Do you ever wonder what really makes you special in this world? What makes you more valuable than others? What keeps you from just blending into the gum infested pavement of everyday life? Well, at that moment, I would have gladly been invisible instead of facing the complicated issues of being important.

"Alex! please just....please don't make the wrong choice!" Justin's voice screamed at me. He was a few feet away, but it was like I wasn't even in my own body. Zach's voice yelled next, "Of course she won't make the wrong choice! She knows what to do you moron! Don't pressure her!" Two precious souls, both in which I held so dearly close to my heart. Both who had managed to play with my heart. And now I had to choose. The everlasting sound of the smoke crackling thick behind the three doors made it clear that I didn't have much time. But I couldn't bring myself to choose. Zach.....Justin...........or my father. Yes, the person behind the third door was my own flesh and blood whom I'd never met. He was also the one who wasn't saying a word in this time of dispair. I had to choose to end the life of one, I had never even known my father, how could I possibly be responsible for his death before even seeing him, if not just once. "ALEX, AHHHHHHHHH," a voice, I don't know whos screamed in pain. Obviously I had to hurry, before they were all burned to ashes. I closed my eyes, Justin was always pushing me in the right direction, making sure I never made a mistake, telling me how gorgeous I was, how important I am, always making sure I can depend on him. He was my steel concrete wall to lean back on when I needed advice, help, or answers. Then there was Zach, always laughing, playing with my hair, making me forget about the stress. Two boys, a sweet, loving, careful one, and a playful, goofy, strong one. And one of them had betrayed me.  
But the question was, who? 


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER ONE: OLD FACES

"ALEXIS PERCILLA BLACK!" I rolled my eyes and continued brushing my hair, ignoring the shrill ring of Anna. My mother could just be so uptight sometimes, it was as though it was going to be the worst thing ever if I was a little late for school. Actually, maybe it was. The last thing I wanted was everyone staring at me, everyone checking to see if I was still nuts. Everyone........waiting for me to crack, revolving their lives around my suffering like it was nothing. I wasn't crazy, I know, how many ex- mental hospital patients say THAT. But I was different, I wasn't like the rest of them. Really all that got me sent to that place was lack of proof. And I was determined to find it. Stuffing the brush in my bag, I checked my reflection on the way out, Chesnut straight brown hair down to my ribs, ice blue eyes, full red lips, and cheekbones that could give you a papercut they were so sharp. Adam Benz had once called me a major league hottie, so had most of the other guys I knew, but that was before. Before they thought I was phsyco, before they no longer wanted anything to do with me. Luckily my scars had faded away, and the only one really visible ran from my inner wrist to outer foar arm, But thank God I was wearing my tailored (mom) blue uniform, and it had sleeves to cover up the evidence. I stepped down the stairs two at a time, suddencly anxious to drive to school so I could hurry up and get a seat in class. Then I wouldn't have to take the wrath of some of the not so sensitive students at Vancouver State high school. I know, it sounds more like a college right? My mom was pacing back in forth, looking at her watch sharply every few seconds. She was so unfourtanatley in one of her frenzy moods.

She opend her mouth, probably to scream at me even more, but then caught sight of me at the feet of the stairs. "My God, you've actually graced me with your presents this morning, what a blessing, lets get a move on" she snapped while dragging me by the crook of the elbow to the garage. "Wow Mom, I appreciate your escorting me to my car, but I think I'll take it from here," I said, jumping into the drivers seat and buckling up. But my mom yanked back the door before I could get it shut and laughed her "There's no way" laugh. "I know you don't think you're driving yourself to school, you must be joking, now move over because you are going to be late and that would really be something if the crazy girl made a grand entrance into class, are you trying to attract attention to yourself?" Anna was freaking out as usual, your typical mother lyon protecting her freak show of a daughter from getting heckled, as if I cared. I knew what really happend and that was all I needed. "Mom, don't act as if this is the first time I've driven, it's just to school and back, the trip altogether is only ten minutes, I've been good, I've been.....normal, I can take care of myself and I'm just going straight to class." I held my breath in my mouth, waiting anxiously for my mom's decision. Anna had her worried face on, the grooves in her forehead growing deeper and the space between her brows disappearing. Goosebumps spread on my arms. This really wasn't the first time I'd driven since the accident.

I'd gone to the store, the library, and even the post office, this really wasn't as big of a deal as my mom was trying to make it. As I was trying to make it, in my head, people's future snide comments were swiveling around like a pinwheel. Anna took a deep breath, her face red, "FINE, we'll see how it go's this time, I trust you....almost completely, so please don't take advantage of that, and don't........expect everything to be the same when you get there, because I raised you better than that." I never expected it to be the same, the minute I was loaded onto those stretchers that dark scary day which seemed like forever ago, I knew that I was no longer just Alex. I was that girl now, the one who had it all and traded for.... nothing. All I could do was smile and nod and drive away, too overwhelmed by the realness of what was about to happen. As the car drove down the rain slicked road, I thought of how this might be different if I was coming back for the first time since the accident on the first day of school. But classes had started a month ago.

My silver convertible pulled into the lot at VSH. Amazingly, it had been repaired to full condition after the accident, and I was sure it would be totaled. The only proof was a scratch that ran from the drivers seat to the far back passengers seat. Somehow they hadn't been able to get rid of that, well, atleast we matched. I parked in the back of the lot and got out, closing the door as gently behind me as I possibly could. But it was as though everyone recognized my car, and as I trudged quickly towards the building, I couldn't help hear the swarming of whispers that had begun. "What's SHE doing here?" "That's the freak-ola" "Should she really be driving?" And worst of all, it didn't stop. I had gotten all my info for this year online so I walked towards what I knew was my I loaded books into it, I couldn't help being anxiously curious about who would be my locker neighbors on my left and right. But I wasn't going to stand around just to find out. But from the looks of the snickers and points, it wasn't good. But then again, what else was new? The click clack of high heels echoed through the halls, and all of a sudden, it was though someone had pushed the mute button on a scary part of the movie they didn't want to see. Oh no. I caught the smell of J'adore perfume and knew immediatley who one of my neighbors was. It was Bree Thomson. The most popular girl in school, one of my two old best friends.

I slammed my locker shut and spun around, coming face to face with Bree. Her face was as always perfectly made up and her of course blond shiny hair hung in a high pony and her uniform skirt was atleast a few inches too short which I knew had been done on purpose. Her face was in shock, seeing as I hadn't called her or anyone for that matter from the ugh.....institute, she was probably surprised to see me here so healthy looking. What had she been expecting, me with a buzz cut and scars on display? A second later, Bree's tiny nose scrunched up, eyebrows raised, and lips parted in a snooty manner, "Well, well, well, look whos on leave from the crazy shack, what happend, they couldn't handle you?" Not sure if she was calling me out or just messing around like she always did, I ducked my head and hurried off to class. But not before I heard the burst of laughter of many people. Right as I ducked into class, I bumped into someone, my books flailing wildly out of my hands and onto the floor. I loked up to see Adam Benz's handsome face looking mad as though running into someone had been the worst thing that ever happend to him. He registerd my face and mimicked the same shock that had splayed on Bree's face. And to my dismay, all he said was, "Oh," before stepping over me and hurrying out to high five a buddy of his. I got up, scooped up my books, and sat in the nearest seat in the front of the room. I turned over the morning's events in my head. How could Adam have ever been my almost boyfriend, how could Bree have ever been my best friend, they had both been so nice to me before the accident. But then again, my whole life was "before the accident." Now I was caught in the horrifying "after." 


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 2:

One thing I learned is that if you sit in the front of the class, you're basically setting yourself up as bait. You can hear everyone talk about you and hear the notes being passed, and they all can see you, but you can't see them. When the bell rang to signal the end of science, I stuffed my homework in my bag, trying not to feel to dumb since I had no idea what it was about. Missing a month and a half of school certainly had it's consequences. I got up and hurried out of the classroom. I noticed that I hurried everywhere at school. I was nervous because the dreaded time had finally come for me.I would really rather be in another wreck than face this horrifying social death of mine that was about to go down. Lunch. I shudderd, thinking of that crowded cafeteria, just waiting for me to walk in so they could mentally kill me with their words. I told myself that I was passed all this, that they didn't matter anymore, that I had bigger things to worry about. I had to prove what had happend that night, but the only way to get started was to find Amanda. Amanda was the other one of my two old best friends. Amanda was popular too, but she was one of those popular down-to-Earth kind people.

I had always been closer to her than I ever was with Bree. Speaking of the Devil, as I made my way to the "popular" table to see if Amanda was there, Bree kind of half snarled half glared at me. I had no intention of sitting there anymore, I just had to find- "Hmmmm, I know you don't think we saved you a spot, if you thought we were tight like that then you should have called me, but you didn't so since you think you're too good for us now, you can sit all by yourself for all I care," Bree said while examining her filed nails. I glanced at the table before responding, Amanda wasn't there. "Ok," I mumbled, walking towards the lunch line. So that was Bree's problem, she was upset because I didn't call her, well in my defense, I had been a little busy at the time. As I walked down the line, I couldn't help thinking of my time spent at the Forest Grove mental hospital. After a few weeks there, I learned that if you just go along with everything they say and admit that you do need help, even if it's not true like in my case, you get off early for good behavior. Kind of like prison.

The only good thing about being locked up was that I had been......safe. Locked in those four capacitating walls, nothing or no one could hurt me....again. But I hadn't deserved to be there. I was innocent, but no one would ever beleive me without proof. Something that I would find eventually, I would never give up trying. I realized that I was at the end of the line so I scanned my ID and stepped off. I surveyed the cafe, wondering which empty table would be the best. Even if the popular people had offered to pull up a chair, I would have said no. I didn't relate to them anymore, they had shown their true self obsorbed colors during the accident. I made my way to the farthest table in the back and set my tray down. Just as I pulled out my chair and took a seat, an unfimiliar guy did the same in the chair next to me. He gave me a smile and said, "I hope this seat's not taken, is it?"

I blinked. He was incredibly handsome with shiny blond hair, intense gray eyes, and smooth ivory colored skin. His voice was smooth just like his face, almost like he knew I would offer him a seat, but he wasn't cocky about it. I blinked again, realizing he was waiting for the answer to his question. "No, go ahead," I mumbled fixing my eyes on my tray. He was so handsome it almost hurt to look at him. He laughed a smooth, relaxed laugh. "Thank God, I thought I was going to have to sit with......" he took a deep breath, "the JOCKS," I cracked a smile and he grinned. "Do you play sports?" I asked curiously, I had never seen him around before, so he must have just tranfered this year. The boy shrugged,"Lacrosse, though I would much rather be doing something better with my time, I'm Justin Capers, by the way." I smiled, "Alex Black, you don't....like lacrosse?" If he would rather be doing something better, then why didn't he?

"Well, It's alright I suppose, I tried it to see how It'd be, but really all it is is a bunch of meatheads playing for pride and bragging rights, but I always finish someting I start, so I'm determined to make to the end of this semester, Alex.....is that short for anything, Alexandra maybe?" Justin aksed. I laughed at his response to lacrosse and said, "It's short for Alexis, but everyone calles me Alex." He smiled again at me, showing off a perfect row of white teeth,"Alex and Alexis, they're both so pretty, so you're new here? I mean, you're....back?" His question took me off guard, why was I enjoying myself so much around him? I didn't even know him, there was just something about him.... "Well......I........was gone for the summer and a month into the school year but.....now......" He smiled and finished my sentence for me,"You're back?" I nodded, wanting to know how he knew that, but he probably heard it from a lax bud of his or something. "You're not going to eat?" I asked him, seeing that he had no food.

He smiled again, "sure," he said taking a fry off my untouched tray and popped it in his mouth, "are you?" he asked me. I blushed, I had been so into talking to him, I had forgotten to eat. "So Alex, how is your day going? I hear combacks are very "in" this time of year." I laughed bitterly, "Well, not mine." He studied me a moment and asked a different question, "So......what happend? You don't have to tell me if you want, I can be very bad at minding my own business sometimes." I smiled and said "It's ok, I....was in a car wreck, I crashed into someone...." all of a sudden, my words poured out, I told him everything from the thing jumping on my car, and the same thing attacking me at the hospital, from me getting sent to Forest Pine. I realized how crazy I must sound, "It's really a phsyco story, you don't have to beleive me, no one else does." I winced at my poor choice of words.

He looked serene and spoke, "Of course I beleive you, you were the one who was actually there, not everybody else, you should know what happend, it's brutal that you got locked up for sateting your opinion, but then again, life itself is a pit of unfairness." I was shocked, no one had every beleived me before, even with all my pleading and suffering, and now just like that, Justin did. My new friend smiled at me and I smiled back, thinking how nice it was to know I wasn't going to be alone after all. 


	5. Chapter 5

Things didn't seem so awfully dreary with Justin around. Yet after the second day of school, there was still no Amanda. As I pulled into the driveway that day after school, I wondered where she might be. I didn't have the guts to ask Bree, and I didn't think Justin would know. But we had a lot of other things to talk about anyway. Me and Justin discussed school, family, hopes and dreams (mine were blank), and played castles in the air atleast three times now, although mine probably sounded like an unfinished jigsaw puzzle. As I slammed the car door shut, I saw Anna walking out the house with her purse and coat, oh no, she was walking towards me now and she had that "I need you to do me a favor" look on her face. I rarely saw that look anymore, like she no longer trusted me to do anything but sleep and breathe. "Alex, good you're back, I was worried I'd miss you, I'm going to meet someone and I'd like you to come along." I furrowed my brows, what did she need me to to tag along for? "What? why?" Anna took a deep breath and explained, "Well, I have a pen pal actually, oh don't give me that look, you had one before....remember? Anyways we got to be really good friends and it turns out she lives in the city so we arranged to meet each other today, isn't that exciting?" I still didn't understand why I was needed, I told her this. She sighed, "Well, she has a son your age, so......." I widend my eyes,"Uh Mom, I hate to have to explain this to you but I'm WAY to old for a playdate." She got her stubborn face on now, "Don't be silly, I told her about you and she told him about you and he said he'd like to meet you, she told me about him and he seems like a very lively young man." I rolled my eyes, Anna's inner dork was starting to show. After much huffing and sighing, I piled into the passengers seat of her car.

On the way there, something clicked in my head, "What exactly did you tell her about me?" Anna kept her eyes on the road while answering my question, "I just told her you know.....about you....." I crossed my arms and turned to look at her, my eyes steely, I bet I could guess, my mom couldn't keep her mouth shut if spackle was being poured into it. "So lemme guess, you told her your phsycopath daughter went to live at the crazy people hospital and that she's wierd and she's just starting to turn normal again, am I right?" I was beyond annoyed, sure I could be jumping to conclusions, but that was ALL there was to describe me these days, that I had mental issues. It was like all the normalness had been drained out of me with a pump, atleast that's probably how it was to my mom. Anna bit her lip and sighed, she eyed me from the corner of her eye and asked in a worried voice, "Sweetie, do you feel alright? You know the doctor said that if you start getting over reactive or hyperventalating that we shoud hold off on the medicat- "I KNOW what the doctor said," I practically shouted. I dropped my voice to a mumble and said "nevermind, forget it I don't care what you told her." We pulled up into what I assumed was Anna's pen pal's driveway and she got out of the car, still wearing her worried face on. "Mom, I'm fine, please don't make things more than they are, let's just get this over with." Anna masked a smile on her face as she marched up to the front door and knocked three times. I saw all of this from the car seeing I had yet to get out.

My mom was getting on my nerves, always worrying when I spoke above a murmur, looking at me constantly to see if I was stable, and never trusting me to do anything for myself anymore, even if she said she did. I don't know how long it would be before I got my real playful cool mom back, but it had obviously affected her a great amount. A short, slim woman with black curly hair and dancing eyes answerd the door of the one story gray brick house. "Judi?" squealed my mom as the woman called Judi squealed, "ANNA!" They hugged as if they were long lost sisters and laughed for a long time. All of a sudden, I heard my name mentioned and looked up to see my mom gesturing me towards the house. I saw that a tall, handsome boy had appeared, he had short black hair, dancing black eyes like his mom, and a strong body coverd with muscles. My first thought was that he worked out. I got out and slammed the car shut. Unwillingly lumbering towards the house. When I reached to where everyone else was standing, my mom pulled me into her arm and said, "Judi, Zach, I'd like you to meet my daughter, Alexis." "Alex," I murmured, staring at the ground. The boy called Zach chuckled And extended his hand and said,"Nice to meet you Alex, I'm Zach as you probably guessed." I shook his hand, surprised by how soft it was. Judi looked at the two of us then shared a conspiaring look at my mom and said, "You know, me and Anna are going to catch up over tea which will probably bore you, so I was thinking how close the beach was and...." Zach opend his hands and his mom threw him what I assumed were car keys, "Sure," he answerd.

My mom looked worried as me and Zach walked to the car and spoke, "Wait......Zach, you'll drive right?" Zach nodded and I felt my cheeks go aflame. I stompted to the car and slammed the door shut when I was in. Zach chuckled again as he got in the drivers seat and asked, "You a reckless driver or something?" I answerd him once we were on the road," The way to the beach.....is where I had my car wreck, I'm sure your mom's told you." Zach smiled, he also had good teeth, I noticed, "Ya she did tell me you were in a bad crash a while back, but she never said where, I've had my fair share of crashes as well, I'm surprised they think I would drive better than you," He laughed and I allowed myself to laugh back. I liked the easy going, funny way of his, like he never seemed to be worried. He continued, "Sometimes I even race for fun, don't tell my mom," we both laughed again at his rebelioness. I spoke,"Well, I don't think it was the crash so much that scared her." Zach nodded,"Mental hospital huh?" I froze, angry to the bone that my mom had shared that sacred peice of info with her pen pal she just met two months ago. Zach glanced over at me and said,"Sorry, it's none of my business, we can talk about something else, like how I'm about to flunk algerbra." I smiled, "I'm right there with you trust me, do you go to VSH?" He shook his head and answerd, "Nah, I go to public school, the last thing I want to do is be caught in those uniforms," he glanced at me again, "Though they seem to suit you pretty well," I blushed and he laughed as we pulled into the beach. As we got out, I pulled off my jacket and hung it on my arm.

I noticed Zach staring at it as we walked down the beach and realized that he was staring at my scar, not the jacket. My white shirt only reached my elbows, so most of my faded pink scar was visible. I quickly put my jacket back on, expecting Zach to laugh at my akwardness. Instead though, he was quiet, and as we walked on the boardwalk in surprisingly comfotorable silence, he asked softly, "Was that....from your wreck?" I took a deep breath and decided it was now or never, who knows, he might be as understanding as Justin had been. Slowly, I told him everything I had told Justin yesterday at lunch. When I was done, I peeked at him to see if he had an uneasy expression on his face. But he looked....understanding, more understanding than I would ever expect anyone to be. He finally spoke, about a minute later, "That's so like parents, sending their kids where they don't belong just because they don't know what to do with them, I'm pretty sure your mom knew that you weren't crazy," he had a trace of bitterness in his voice. "Did....something like that happen to you?" I asked softly, sorry that I had upset him. He looked at me for a minute then began, "When I was in the fifth grade five grades ago, I lived with my dad, boy what a mistake that was, anyways me and my class went on this camping trip, and there was this consouler there, man he was like a big brother to me, well...me and him and a few other guys were hiking right? Well, apperantly we were in bear territory and a big one came out at as, our consouler, he tried to protect us but....he was mauled and killed, after that when the trip was cancelled and we all went home early, I couldn't eat, I barely talked, had brutal nightmares, my dad...he didn't know what to do with me so.....he sent me to military school."

I gasped, at a point like that, a kid should see a shrink, not be sent off to military school. "He did that?" I asked aghast. Zach nodded, "Worst eight weeks of my life, had to shave my head and everything, anyways when I got back, my dad had packed my stuff and bought me a ticket to live with my mom, best decision he ever made." I looked at him, feeling sad to know what he went through. We walked along the rest of the beach, chatting easily about everything. I couldn't help think how I had two great new friends in a row. I was on a roll. 


End file.
